Sevilla joined the growing list of clubs to have booked their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League tonight after holding on for a draw against battling Stuttgart at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium. Winger Jesus Navas, captaining the side in the absence of a number of senior players, put Sevilla ahead in the 14th minute but the visitors staged a second-half fightback and deservedly claimed a point thanks to Zdravko Kuzmanovic’s deflected 25-yard strike 12 minutes from time.

The result ends Sevilla’s 100% record in Group G but, thanks to the 1-1 draw in the match between Unirea Urziceni and Rangers, they are guaranteed a place in the knockout stages.

Stuttgart began the previous clash between the two sides well before going onto lose 3-1 at the VfB Arena, and they were quick out of the blocks tonight and might have taken a third-minute lead if captain Thomas Hitzlsperger had not wasted a four-on-two breakaway with a dreadful pass.

Sevilla striker Arouna Kone was guilty of something similar two minutes later though, as he broke into the area but instead of shooting or picking out Luis Fabiano in the middle, he seemed to be caught between the two options and ended up playing a ball that was neither near the net nor his team-mate.

The home side need not have worried about that wasted opportunity though, as nine minutes later they were ahead thanks to a well-worked move.

Ndri Romaric played a ball into Luis Fabiano near the edge of the area, and the Brazilian laid a first-time pass into the path of Navas, who coolly slotted his shot past Jens Lehmann to add to his goal in the first meeting a fortnight ago.

Considering their poor domestic form and lack of points in Group G, that was a huge early blow for Markus Babbel’s men but they battled back well and Pavel Pogrebniak came close with a shot from the edge of the box before Arthur Boka was denied by a good blocking stop by Javi Varas.

The visitors were not looking so secure at the back though, and a number of loose passes put themselves in danger, with one resulting in Lehmann needing to make a good low stop to deny Alvaro Negredo.

Stuttgart were unable to get back on level terms by the break, but they enjoyed a hugely promising start to what would prove to be a fine second-half display, with Kuzmanovic seeing his 25-yard shot saved by Varas before Pogrebniak headed the loose ball against the crossbar.

Sevilla were struggling to create many chances at the other end, with Lehmann dealing comfortably with long-range shots from Romaric and Abdoulay Konko, and it was no more than Stuttgart deserved when they drew level through Kuzmanovic

Picking up a short pass from Pogrebniak 25 yards out, Kuzmanovic unleashed a right-footed thunderbolt which took a slight deflection off team-mate Julian Schieber before nestling into the top corner of the net.

Both sides continued to push forward for a winner after that, and it was Stuttgart who came closest when Schieber sent an acrobatic volley inches wide after racing onto Elson’s cross.

Sevilla survived that let off though and the result, combined with the draw in Romania, makes them the first Spanish side through to the next round, while Stuttgart still have a chance of finishing second.
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